An all Spanish front row locked in for the Portuguese Grand Prix tomorrow. Manual Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2) with a stunning lap took his first ever pole position in Moto2.
Championship contenders for 2024 Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp) 2nd and Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) in 3rd complete the front row of the grid for tomorrow’s race.
AS IT HAPPENED
Qualifying 1
Former teammates Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) and Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) both the big surprise names in this Q1 session. Chantra went straight to the top of the standings on his Kalex as the Moto2 riders were all out on track on their first run’s.
First time attacks posted in the session and the top 4 at this point heading to Q2 were Zonta Van Den Goorbergh (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP), Chantra, Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) and Darryn Binder (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP).
5mins left of the session remained and Ogura was out on a flying lap as the rest were in the pits making changes. The number #73 bike blasted his way up to the front with an impressive 1:42.259. Ayumu Sasaki (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team) last season’s Moto3 championship protagonist, moved up into 4th only to be pipped by another Moto3 rookie Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) with just 2 minutes left of the Q2 session.
Chantra was the next rider to light up all of the sectors red and moved into provisional pole with just 90 seconds left of the session.
The top 4 heading through to Q2 were Chantra, Ogura, Moreira and Agius.
Qualifying 2
One of the top guns in Moto2 and Ducati’s latest signing Aldeguer sat atop of the timings after the first run of flying laps. Albert Arenas (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2) was in 2nd and Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) sat in 3rd with 7 minutes left of the session.
Aldeguer extended his advantage at the top on the following lap now +0.312s ahead of Arenas at the top.
As we moved into the final phase of the session Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2) moved up into 2nd with both Gresini riders 2nd and 3rd as only a few minutes of the session remained.
This didn’t last long as the Boscoscuro of Alonso Lopez joined Aldeguer at the top now in 2nd.
Aron Canet on his last flying lap moved up into provisional pole only to be beaten at the end of Q2 by Gonzalez. What a lap from Gonzalez and a fantastic first ever pole position for the Gresini Racing rider.
Just 2 tenths of a second split Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) in 5th to Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in 14th place. A great qualifying session in Moto2 and one that Gonzalez won’t forget for some time. A new all time lap record set with a 1:41.514.
Saturday’s IMSA’s Twelve Hours of Sebring came down to the wire, as after an hour long duel, the GTP No. 40 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Acura with Louis Deletraz at the wheel wrestled past the GTP No. 01 Chip Ganassi Racing Cadillac of two-time Twelve Hours of Sebring winner Sebastien Bourdais with just six minutes of the race left to go and held him off to give Wayne Taylor Racing their second Twelve Hours of Sebring win and first for Acura.
Wayne Taylor Racing win second Twelve Hours of Sebring
Cadillac heartbreak
GTP leader swaps
GTD Pro battle
Lamborghini SC63 test race successful
LMP2 and GTD
Class winners
8 min read
Wayne Taylor Racing win second Twelve Hours of Sebring
Acura clinched their first Sebring 12 Hour win on Saturday, Wayne Taylor Racing’s second Sebring 12 Hour win, last winning in 2017, and the first Sebring 12 Hour win since becoming Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti in 2023.
The final hour of the race saw several full course yellows that gave Sebastien Bourdais, who was desperately trying to keep ahead of Deletraz’s Acura ARX-06 after the team had worked their way back to the front after being off the pace for a couple of hours, a quick reset each time, just as Deletraz had been filling the Frenchman’s mirrors.
The final green flag run was just long enough for Deletraz to find a way past Bourdais’ Cadillac, who had been lacking tyre life compared to Deletraz, as he pinched Bourdais coming out of the turn seven hairpin after a side by side battle. Lap traffic nearly helped Bourdais make a final charge at Deletraz with two laps to go, but Deletraz was able to find enough clear track to stay out front and take the checkers.
#40: Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti, Acura ARX-06, GTP: Jordan Taylor, Louis Deletraz, Colton Herta (Photo courtesy of Acura Newsroom).
Following the 333 lap race, with a race time of 12 hours and 54 seconds, Deletraz, speaking to IMSA Radio said: “It was clear I wanted to win. Really hard fight with Seb, but in the end was fair, we could have both ended up in the wall but it was respectful. I saw the gap, if I don’t try, I’m not a racing driver. I am super happy we won.”
The No. 40 team comprised of Louis Deletraz, 2017 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar champion Jordan Taylor, and full-time IndyCar star Colton Herta, denied Cadillac from scoring their fifth Twelve Hours of Sebring in six years.
Team principal Wayne Taylor speaking to IMSA Radio said: “Balance of performance didn’t suit us at all in Daytona. Thanks to IMSA and all manufactures to getting this thing back on track to where everyone had a chance.”
Cadillac heartbreak
It was heartbreak for Cadillac, as both their cars collectively led the majority of the race, first with the pole-sitting GTP No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series. R car.
Disaster struck the race leading No. 31 Cadillac in the eighth hour when, after leading for several intervals for the first half of the race, Pipo Derani, who had set a blistering pace, gapping the second place 2024 Daytona 24 Hours winning No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport team driven by Felipe Nasr, had a huge crash when on the run to turn 10, Derani slightly moved across the GTD No. 21 AF Corse Ferrari of Miguel Molina, getting tagged and was sent sliding to the right, smacking into the tyre wall, sending several tyres flying into the air, with the impact flipping his GTP car and landing upside down.
Pipo Derani UPSIDE DOWN!
The race leader in the 12 Hours of Sebring got into the tire barrier and flipped. He walked away under his own power.
This had come shortly after a nearly three hour interval where the No. 31 had worked it’s way up from seventh to first with drivers Tom Blomqvist and Jack Aitken after having to pit for emergency fuel after a full course yellow had come out.
The Chip Ganassi Racing No. 01 Cadillac of Renger van der Zande, six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon who was looking for his first Twelve Hours of Sebring win, and Bourdais, had spent the first few hours of the race in the tyre tracks of the sister Cadillac car, and also had to work their way back to the front after falling off the GTP Acura and GTP BMW’s leading pace in the eighth hour.
It was less than two hours to go when the 01 car led consecutive stints but just like the sister 31 car did in the first half of the race, the No. 40 Acura had the legs and the pace to just find a way past the No. 01 car in the dying embers of the race.
Van der Zande said speaking to IMSA radio said: “I’m very disappointed, hats off to Deletraz. Bourdais. It’s all Seb could have done. [The Acura] had more tyre and faster lap pace. Bourdais tried to hold off.”
GTP leader swaps
Following Derani’s race ending crash, nobody could keep the lead without issue.
As the No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Acura car, nine and half hours into the race, found a way past the race leading No. 25 BMW M Team RLL car, the car was continually burning excessive amounts of oil, and several laps later was forced to pit to address it, puttiing them a lap down, and handing the lead to the No. 7 and No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport cars.
The next restart after a full course yellow, saw the new race leader Porsche No. 6 of Frederic Makowiecki spin in turn seven with a flat right rear tyre possibly as a result of contact with the GTD No. 66 Gradient Racing Acura NSX GT3 Evo 22 car.
The No. 66 car was one of two all-female lineups in the race, and was running fifth in their GTD class at the time, when the No. 7 Porsche came charging round the inside of Sunset Bend, getting onto the grass before tank slapping into the No. 66 of four-time IMSA GTD winner Katherine Legge, sending her barrelling into the turn 17 tyre wall on the opposite side and taking the team out of the race. No action was taken, a common theme in the race by race control.
The GTD Pro class saw a fierce battle between Lexus, BMW, Porsche, Corvette, and Ferrari for the top five spots all race long, but after an overall dominant display from the GTD Pro No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 team of 2020 Twelve Hours of Sebring GTD winner Jack Hawksworth, Lexus USA factory driver Ben Barnicoat, and full-time IndyCar driver Kyle Kirkwood, and an impassioned comeback from Hawksworth, saw the team jump from third to back to the top spot in the final laps to win the GTD Pro class.
The No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 team of Jack Hawksworth, Ben Barnicoat, and Kyle Kirkwood, racing in the 2024 Sebring 12 Hours in their Mobil 1 50th anniversary livery (Photo courtesy of Lexus Newsroom).
Hawksworth made an ambitious dive down the inside of the Daniel Juncadella driven No. 3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R car into the turn seven hairpin with Juncadella colliding heavily with the rear of Hawksworth’s Lexus as he turned in, with Hawksworth coming out with second.
Hawksworth then stormed past the leading GTD Pro No. 62 Ferrari of Daniel Serra down the inside of turn one the following lap with 23 minutes to go, to take GTD Pro victory.
Hawksworth said speaking to the IMSA Radio: “With 30 minutes to go, I didn’t want to settle for bottom step of the podium.”
Hawksworth’s No. 14 teammate Ben Barnicoat said speaking to IMSA Radio: “Hawksworth, what a badass, he knows when to make big moves.”
Hawksworth other No. 14 teammate and full-time IndyCar driver Kyle Kirkwood said speaking to IMSA Radio: “They executed at exactly the right time. The car was flawless, pit stops were flawless. His pass was absolutely insane.”
Lamborghini SC63 test race successful
While not having the pace of the other GTP teams, in their first IMSA GTP class race, the GTP Iron Lynx Lamborghini SC63 team of Lamborghini factory drivers Matteo Cairoli and Andrea Caldarelli, as well as full-time IndyCar and ex-Formula 1 driver Romain Grosjean, completed all 333 laps finishing in seventh place with little issues when it came to reliability.
Lamborghini SC63 confirms strong reliability in the 12 Hours of Sebring; the SC63 races in the 2024 Sebring 12 Hours – ID: 652662 (Photo courtesy of Lamborghini Media Center).
The fight for most of the race was keeping the SC63 out of trouble and on the lead lap, which Romain Grosjean nearly jeopardised four hours into the race when he spun the SC63 and had to visit the pits to check the car was ok.
Grosjean also was driving when with less than four hours to go, the only notable fault occured on the SC63 when the driver side door was slightly ajar but fixed in place as he raced around the 17-turn 3.74 mile circuit.
Lamborghini SC63 confirms strong reliability in the 12 Hours of Sebring; the SC63 making a pit stop during the 2024 Sebring 12 Hours – ID: 652665 (Photo courtesy of Lamborghini Media Center)
After going a lap down ten hours into the race, the seas parted just in front of Grosjean as the SC63 was directly behind the No. 6 Penske Porsche Motorsport car of Makowiecki as he spun in turn seven, allowing Grosjean to slip past to go back on the lead lap.
Grosjean worked frantically for twenty minutes to keep the now race leading No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport car of Matt Campbell behind as he was being pressured by the No. 01 Cadillac of van der Zande for the race lead.
The SC63 team briefly went a lap down during the next green flag pit cycle but through the many full course yellows in the final hour of the race, was able to get back on the lead lap.
Grosjean said: “I am super happy with the result, we know that the Sebring 12 Hours is one of the toughest races out there, due to the track nature. It is a really positive step therefore, that we managed to finish the race and on the lead lap in P7. There is still a lot that we need to work on, and I am excited for the future.”
LMP2 and GTD
In the LMP2, after a fierce battle back and forth all race long back for the LMP2 lead between the No. 99, No. 52, No. 2, and No.11 machines, it was instead the No. 18 Era Motorsport Oreca 07 Gibson team of Dwight Merriman, Ryan Dalziel, and Connor Zilisch, who with half an hour ago took the lead through the pit strategy cycle with Zilisch driving, to win the LMP2 Twelve Hours of Sebring class, going back to back in the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech Championship season after winning the 2024 24 Hours of Daytona in January.
Zilisch said speaking to IMSA Radio: “That was the longest 24 minutes of my life.”
The GTD class saw a dominant display by the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes AMG GT3 Evo of Russell Ward, Philip Ellis, and Indy Dontje, leading 164 of the 314 laps that the GTD class completed, also going back to back after winning the GTD class in the 2024 24 Hours of Daytona.
This came after their pole position was rescinded after running unapproved sensors during Friday’s qualifying, but after just 55 laps had passed all 21 GTD cars to take the lead of the race.
Ward said: “We’re used to it, ‘cause the last three years we’ve had to start from last at some point. We knew we had the car for it, and our goal was just to get the maximum amount of points out of this race. The crew performed flawlessly, the drivers made a few mistakes, and we came out on top.”
The next IMSA WeatherTech SportCar Championship race is the 100-minute Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 20th.
Class winners
GTP – No. 40 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Acura ARX-06 of Louis Deletraz, Jordan Taylor, and Colton Herta
LMP2 – No. 18 Era Motorsport Oreca 07 Gibson of Dwight Merriman, Ryan Dalziel, and Connor Zilisch
GTD Pro – No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F of Jack Hawksworth, Ben Barnicoat, and Kyle Kirkwood
GTD – No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes AMG Evo of Russell Ward, Philip Ellis, and Indy Dontje
Featured Image: #40: Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti, Acura ARX-06, GTP: Jordan Taylor, Louis Deletraz, Colton Herta, Confetti, Orange Juice (Photo courtesy of Acura Newsroom)
After a 7 WEEK break, Formula E returned to our screens on March 15th and 16th with a lot of storylines heading into this race weekend, it is safe to say that we got our bang for our buck in terms of excitement!
Race Recap
The race started off with Pascal Wehrlein starting from pole after beating Stoffel Vandoorne in the Final Duel by 0.002 of a second! It was absolutely blockbuster content before we even went racing in Sao Paulo. Once we went racing, there was a lot of chaos. Wehrlein lead the field from Vandoorne in P2 and Micth Evans managed to jump up to P3 after overtaking Jean-Eric Vergne who started in P3. Wehrlein managed to stay in the lead throughout the early parts before the attack mode came in with Bird managing to make his way up to P6. Da Costa then managed to make his way up to P3 before Guenther had to take a 10 second stop and go penalty due to exceeding his allocated components. This meant he had a 20 place grid penalty AND the 10 second stop-and-go penalty. Dennis attempted to make his way up the field with Bird then managing to make his way up to P1. Once Bird took his attack modes, he stayed in P1. There was quite a lot od debris due to collisions which happened earlier in the race which then led to a safety car coming out. This spelt disaster in terms of attack mode for drivers including Bird, Buemi and Daruvala whereas Wehrlein, Vergne and Guenther were pleased.
Mitch Evans, Jaguar TCS Racing, Jaguar I-TYPE 6, leads Pascal Wehrlein, TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team, Porsche 99X Electric Gen3-Image Credit: Formula E Media Bank
At the safety car restart, Bird managed to retake the lead from Evans with Da Costa in P3 and his teammate of Wehrlein in P4. Several laps on, Nico Mueller managed to get a black and orange flag due to his front wing going under his car. Before Nico pitted, the entire grid was seperated by under 9 seconds! The Andretti driver of Norman Nato then receieved a 5 second penalty for causing a collision. Dennis managed to get up to P1 after many overtakes and attack modes before we saw a yellow flag for the championship leader of Nick Cassidy crashing out due to his front wing hitting his car. He was okay after the crash but it was a nasty hit against the wall.
By the time we got to lap 17 out of 31, before added laps, Bird was leading ahead of his old teammate Mitch Evans in P2, Wehrlein in P3, Dennis, Da Costa and Vergne rounding out the top 6 with Rosland, Vandoorne, Guenther and Buemi occupying the final places of the field. Once we went green, Bird held onto the lead with everyone in the top 10 apart from Buemi having used both of the attack modes. Drivers such as De Vries and Hughes had to take their second attack mode and, as a result, fell down the grid.
Nico Mueller then stopped on track which brought out a yellow flag but he managed to get the car started again. Towards the end of the race, Evans managed to take the lead before it was announced that there would be 3 added laps. Rowland managed to make his way up to P5 ahead of Da Costa before the final lap. On the final lap, Bird was chasing Evans down for the win. Bird managed to make a move stick in the final sector of the track to take McLaren’s first win in Formula E! That was not where the drama ended however, as we had retirements from Hughes, Mueller and Cassidy, Sette Camara was disqualified due to an overuse of power! All of the results are down below!
Sao Paulo E-Prix Race Results
Position
Driver
Team
Points
1st
Sam Bird
Neom McLaren Formula E Team
25
2nd
Mitch Evans
Jaguar TCS Racing
18
3rd
Oliver Rowland
Nissan Formula E Team
15
4th
Pascal Wehrlein
Tag Heuer Porsche Formula E Team
12
5th
Jake Dennis
Andretti Formula E
10
6th
Antonio Felix Da Costa
Tag Heuer Porsche Formula E Team
8
7th
Jean-Eric Vergne
DS Penske
6
8th
Stoffel Vandoorne
DS Penske
4
9th
Maximilian Guenther
Maserati MSG Racing
2
10th
SebastianBuemi
Envision Racing
1
11th
Sacha Fenestraz
Nissan Formula E Team
0
12th
Edoardo Mortara
Mahindra Racing
0
13th
Lucas DiGrassi
Abt Cupra Formula E Team
0
14th
Nyck De Vries
Mahindra Racing
0
15th
Jehan Daruvala
Maserati MSG Racing
0
16th
Dan Ticktum
ERT Formula E Team
0
17th
Norman Nato
Andretti Formula E
0
18th
Robin Frijns
Envision Racing
0
DNF
Jake Hughes
Neom McLaren Formula E Team
0
DNF
Nick Cassidy
Jaguar TCS Racing
0
DNF
Nico Mueller
Abt Cupra Formula E Team
0
DSQ
Sergio Sette Camara
ERT Formula E Team
0
Formula E Season 10 Championship After Round 4
Position
Driver
Team
Points
1.
Nick Cassidy
Jaguar TCS Racing
57
2.
Pascal Wehrlein
Tag Heuer Porsche Formula E Team
53
3.
Mitch Evans
Jaguar TCS Racing
39
4.
Jean-Eric Vergne
DS Penske
39
5.
Jake Dennis
Andretti Formula E
38
6.
Sam Bird
Neom McLaren Formula E Team
37
7.
Oliver Rowland
Nissan Formula E Team
33
8.
Maximilian Guenther
Maserati MSG Racing
22
9.
Sebastian Buemi
Envision Racing
20
10.
Robin Frijns
Envision Racing
19
11.
Jake Hughes
Neom McLaren Formula E Team
18
12.
Stoffel Vandoorne
DS Penske
18
13.
Norman Nato
Andretti Formula E
9
14.
Sacha Fenestraz
Nissan Formula E
8
15.
Antonio Felix Da Costa
Tag Heuer Porsche Formula E Team
8
16.
Sergio Sette Camara
ERT Formula E Team
2
17.
Edoardo Mortara
Mahindra Racing
0
18.
Nico Mueller
Abt Cupra Formula E Team
0
19.
Lucas DiGrassi
Abt Cupra Formula E Team
0
20.
Nyck De Vries
Mahindra Racing
0
21.
Jehan Daruvala
Maserati MSG Racing
0
22.
Dan Ticktum
ERT Formula E Team
0
Most Impressive Race
I think there are a lot of candidates for this part of the article but I am going to go with Max Guenther. He started in P22, had a 10 second stop-and-go penalty and STILL managed to get 2 points in a competitive field. While yes, the safety cars caused by debris and Nick Cassidy did definately play to his advantage (apart from him using attack mode before the safety car came out), he still had to go through the field and battle many drivers.
Driver who needs to improve the most after Sao Paulo
After Sao Paulo, I feel like Norman Nato needs to step up a little bit. He had a few collisions which he was penalised for as well as starting further down the grid in comparison to his teammate. While his teammate may be a Formula E World Champion and embedded at that team, Norman needs to show that he can do his part to help the team and manufacturers in the championship, otherwise questions could be raised given the drivers who are not in as competitive machinery as the Frenchman.
The NASCAR Cup Series returns to Bristol Motor Speedway this Sunday, aka The Last Great Colosseum, to race around the concrete fastest half-mile oval in the world, as NASCAR returns to racing back on the concrete of Bristol for it’s Spring Bristol race for the first time since 2020, replacing the Bristol Dirt race after just three editions of the event.
Race preview
Current points standings
3 min read
Sunday’s Food City 500 race is comprised of 500 laps (266.5 miles), broken down into three stages of 125, 125, and 250 laps, with qualifying for the race on Saturday at 5:50pm ET/9:50pm ET and the race starting on Sunday at 3:30pm ET/7:30pm UK time.
The half-mile 24-28 degree banked oval in Bristol, Tennessee never fails to deliver on action, with plenty of fierce elbows out racing, with door to door banging being a common occurrence.
To stay on the lead lap all race with no damage is almost a victory in itself at The Last Great Colosseum. Pitting under green here will cost you two laps to the leaders, due to the short length and furious nature of the track.
Denny Hamlin won the last concrete Bristol Cup race last September in the 2023 playoff Round of 16 cutoff race, leading over 100 laps, with him exclaiming to the fans post-race “I beat your favourite driver.”
Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Freight Direct Toyota, celebrates with a burnout in front of fans after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on September 16, 2023 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
The last spring concrete Bristol Cup race was in May 2020, originally postponed from April due to the covid pandemic, that saw Brad Keselowski win for Team Penske, where he swept both Bristol races in 2020.
Brad Keselowski, in the No. 2 Team Penske Ford celebrates after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Food City presents the Supermarket Heroes 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on May 31st 2020 in Bristol, Tennessee (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Kyle Busch is king of Bristol for current Cup drivers, having won eight concrete Cup Bristol races dating back to 2007 and most recently in 2019. He has swept all three races during the autumn edition twice, winning the Truck, Xfinity, and Cup race in 2010 and 2017.
Busch also won the 2022 Bristol Dirt 250-lap race.
Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing M&M’s Caramel Toyota celebrates winning the 2017 Bass Pro Shops Night Cup race and sweeping the weekend of races, holding up a broom to the fans, at Bristol Motor Speedway, August 19th 2007, in Bristol, Tennessee (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)
Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin are joint second for current cup drivers wins at Bristol with three wins each, while Joey Logano has two wins, as well as having won the 2021 Bristol Dirt race, and Chris Buescher and Kyle Larson also have a win.
Last week’s Phoenix Cup winner, Christopher Bell, also has a win at Bristol, having won the 2023 Bristol Dirt race. This is not a surprise given Bell’s extensive resume and success in his dirt racing career.
It’s close for bragging rights amongst the current Cup teams with Joe Gibbs Racing leading total Bristol Cup wins with 14, Team Penske with 13, and Hendrick Motorsports and Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing with 12 wins each. All are chasing all-time Bristol Cup winning team of Junior Johnson & Associates with 16 wins.
Don’t miss the return of the Spring Bristol Cup race this Sunday at 3:30pm ET/7:30pm UK time.
Featured Image: Matt Kenseth, driver of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Dollar General Toyota, leads the field back to green in the NASCAR Cup Series Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 17th 2016, in Bristol, Tennessee (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)
This year’s running of International Motor Sports Association’s (IMSA) Twelve Hours of Sebring sees 58 cars entered into the race, Lamborghini making it’s GTP debut, and race title sponsor Mobil 1 celebrating its 50th anniversary with gold liveries, making it an unmissable event for motorsport and automotive enthusiasts.
Race breakdown
Lamborghini IMSA GTP debut
Mobil 1 50th anniversary
Two all-female lineups
Qualifying
5 min read
Race breakdown
The 17-turn 3.74 mile circuit of Sebring International Raceway is one of the toughest and unforgiving race tracks on the planet, with bumpy and narrow straights, treacherous corners, and very little run-off, making winning the 12-hour race a truly honourable feat.
This Saturday’s 72ndrunning of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring marks the second race of the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar championship, with all four classes, Grand Touring Prototype (GTP), Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) and Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) competing.
2023 Twelve Hours of Sebring (USA), 15th to 18th March 2023. BMW M Motorsport, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Twelve Hours of Sebring, BMW M Team RLL, #24 BMW M Hybrid V8, Philipp Eng (AUT), Augusto Farfus (BRA), Marco Wittmann (GER), #25 BMW M Hybrid V8, Connor De Phillippi (USA), Nick Yelloly (GBR), Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), GTP class (Photo courtesy of BMW Group Press Club)
Cadillac look set to continue their hot streak at Sebring, having won four of the last five Sebring 12 Hour races, including the last three, and sweeping the front row during qualifying Friday afternoon.
The race begins 9.40am ET/1:40pm UK time, with international coverage starting from 9am ET/1pm UK time via IMSA TV/IMSA Radio/IMSA YouTube.
This means that the race begins on a Floridian Saturday morning, and will end under the pitch black of night, following a glorious sunset in the final turn just after 7:30pm local time.
Lamborghini IMSA GTP debut
The Lamborghini SC63, with IMSA President John Doonan calling it the “Verde Mantis”, is making its IMSA GTP debut this Saturday, the fifth GTP manufacturer to compete in the series
With a Ligier chassis, an all-new 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8 engine, and with a bright green and Italian flag striped livery, it will surely turn heads this weekend.
Operated by the Iron Lynx team who will have the one car effort in IMSA’s GTP class with is Italian factory driver Andrea Caldarelli, Matteo Cairoli and ex-Formula 1 and full-time IndyCar driver Romain Grosjean piloting the No. 63 raging bull.
American Debut for Lamborghini Squadra Corse Iron Lynx at Sebring International Raceway (Photo courtesy of Lamborghini media center)
A single car entry has also been entered into the WEC season, already having raced in the WEC season opener at Qatar.
This is the first time Lamborghini’s Squadra Corse program has entered the top class of IMSA racing since entering the championship in 2016 with it’s Huracan GT3 GTD class car.
Emmanuel Esnault, the team’s racing director, said following its WEC at Qatar: “We will be competing in the Twelve Hours of Sebring, one of the world’s toughest races. We need to extract the maximum benefits from what we are learning during race weekends to develop the car and further improve our trackside operations to provide our drivers with the best possible opportunities.”
The team qualified eighth for Saturday’s race.
Mobil 1 50th anniversary
Motor oil company and title sponsor of the Twelve Hours of Sebring, Mobil 1, is celebrating its 50th anniversary since its inception, with several cars sporting special 50th anniversary gold liveries including the two Corvette Racing GTD Pro cars and No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GTD Pro car.
Two all-female lineups, will race in Saturday’s Sebring Twelve Hours, an IMSA WeatherTech SportCar Championship first.
Katherine Legge will join Sheena Monk and Tati Calderon in the No. 66 Gradient Racing Acura NSX GT3 in the Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) class, while Sarah Bovy, Rahel Frey and Michelle Gatting will co-drive the No. 83 Iron Dames Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2.
#66: Gradient Racing, Acura NSX GT3, GTD: Sheena Monk, Katherine Legge, Tati Calderon, Stevan McAleer, racing the #62: Risi Competizione, Ferrari 296 GT3, GTD PRO: Daniel Serra, Davide Rigon, Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado in the 2024 24 Hours of Daytona (Photo courtesy of Honda Racing News Room)
Katherine Legge said: “Our program and Iron Dames are done in a serious and professional way. We are professional sports teams that just happen to be female. It’s showcasing female power. It’s not done as anything else. We’ve picked the best drivers we can pick. It’s a showcase rather than a publicity stunt.”
The same Iron Dames trio made history last year when they the GTE Am class in the WEC’s 8 Hours of Bahrain race, the first time an-all female lineup earned a class win in WEC history.
Qualifying
GTP
The No. 31 Whelen Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Series. R ended qualifying right where they led off last year when they won the 2023 Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring by qualifying on pole Friday afternoon with Pipo Derani by doing a 1.48.152 lap.
Derani is going for his fifth Twelve Hours of Sebring victory, this time teaming up with Jack Aitken and current IndyCar driver Tom Blomqvist.
Joining the No. 31 Whelen on the front row is the No. 01 Cadillac Racing V-Series. R car after accomplished sportscar driver Sebastian Bourdais laid down a lap time of a 01:48.299.
Sebastian Bourdais qualifying the No. 01 Chip Ganassi Racing Cadillac V-Series. R (Photo courtesy of Chip Ganassi Racing)
The qualifying session came down to who could get their car in optimum performance range after the No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 car brought out the red flag after the car snapped in the exit of turn one as Mathieu Jaminet took too much kerb, smacking the right hand side wall with the front of the car.
With less than four minutes to go as the session went back green, it was about who could get their GTP car operating at it’s most optimum.
It looked like at first that the pole would go to the No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Acura Arx-06 car being driven by Ricky Taylor when he laid down a lap time of 1.48.038, only to have it taken off them and be disqualified for working on the car under the red flag.
LMP2
The fan-favourite No. 99 AO Racing Oreca 07 Gibson car, known as “Spike the Dragon”, secured class pole, driven by PJ Hyett, with a lap time of 1.52.142.
Hyett said: “Let’s just say this is probably top three moments of my life happening right now. When I met my wife, birth of my children and I just got pole at Sebring in a P2. I don’t know what the hell’s happening, it’s wonderful!”
GTD Pro/GTD
GTD Pro qualifying saw Jack Hawksworth, piloting the No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 car, locked down pole with a class-record lap of 1.58.714, sporting the Mobil 1 50th anniversary gold and black paint scheme.
The No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 car also looked set to continue in the same fashion as Cadillac Racing by winning the GTD pole and second overall in GTD Friday afternoon with Phillip Ellis, following on from their 2024 Daytona 24 Hours class victory.
It was not to be however as the team was disqualified due to running unapproved sensors during the session, handing GTD pole to the No. 47 Cetilar Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 team, with Antonio Fuoco qualifying the car second overall in GTD with a lap time of 1:59.014, so will start alongside the No. 14 Lexus.
The race begins Saturday 9.40am ET/1:40pm UK time, with international coverage starting from 9am ET/1pm UK time via IMSA TV/IMSA Radio/IMSA YouTube.
Featured Image: The Lamborghini SC63 GTP at Sebring (Photo courtesy of Lamborghini Media Center)
Josef Newgarden ruled the streets of St. Pete Sunday afternoon in IndyCar’s season opening race, leading 92 of the 100 laps to secure his third St. Pete win and first street course win for Team Penske after Penske went winless on street courses in 2023.
Josef Newgarden takes third St. Pete victory
Rest of race recap
Full race results/points standings
3 min read
Newgarden converted his pole starting position to an over seven second lead over runner up Pato O’Ward come the checkered flag, with the win only ever looking in doubt when the No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet machine lost three spots on pit road during the first pit stop cycle of the day but quickly gained them back and the lead after the restart.
Josef Newgarden and his No. 2 Chevrolet Team Penske team celebrate winning the 2024 GP of St. Pete (Photo by Joe Skibinski/Penske Entertainment)
Newgarden said: “I had a lot of fun today. I think it’s so deserving for the work they (Team Penske) put in. We’ve worked really hard to close the gap. We didn’t have the speed we needed on road and street courses last year, at least on a consistency basis, and today we brought that speed.”
It was Newgarden’s 30th IndyCar Series win, passing Team Penske legend Rick Mears for 13th on the all-time IndyCar Series wins list.
Team Penske and Chevrolet have appeared to have got their street course package back on track, with all three Penske cars finishing in the top five with 2022 St. Pete winner McLaughlin finishing third and two-time St. Pete winner Will Power finishing fourth.
Last year Honda won all five street course races. Sunday saw Andretti Global’s Colton Herta, who won the 2021 edition of the race, be the highest finishing Honda in fifth.
Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward was Newgarden’s closest contender throughout the race, keeping Newgarden within two seconds of him until the final twenty laps where he extended it to an eight second lead while O’Ward had to drive with his rearview mirrors to keep the late charging McLaughlin and Power behind to hold on to the runners up position.
Josef Newgarden leads with Pato O’Ward giving chase (Photo by Joe Skibinski/Penske Entertainment)
O’Ward said: “I think it’s a very solid foundation to what is going to be a very tight, very competitive rest of the year.”
Power and McLaughlin, on the softer alternate tyre were able to charge down O’Ward despite the No. 5 Arrow McLaren driver being on the harder primary tyre. Power had yet to take the alternate green lined tyre before his final pit stop, so as per IndyCar rules of having to run at least two laps on each tyre compound, Power was forced to take the softer tyre.
Rest of race recap
Josef Newgarden and Felix Rosenqvist led the 27-car field to green with Newgarden comfortably leading the opening stint.
The start of the St. Pete GP (Photo by Joe Skibinski/Penske Entertainment)
Chip Ganassi Racing’s Marcus Armstrong brought out the first caution of the race on lap 26 when he locked up his No. 11 Ridgeline Honda in turn 10 slamming it into the outside tyre wall, taking himself out of the race.
Sting Ray Robb brought out the second of three cautions on lap 35 when he parked his No. 41 A.J. Foyt Enterprises Chevrolet in the turn one escape road. Christian Lundgaard who had inherited the lead after not pitting during the previous caution due to pitting earlier in the race for a puncture, handed the lead back to Newgarden, who had raced past Rosenqvist and Herta to work back up to second prior to the caution.
Last year’s St. Pete winner Marcus Ericsson had to retire early from the race on lap 53 due to a mechanical failure. Ericsson had been running seventh before the failure.
Romain Grosjean’s late lunge on rookie Linus Lundqvist for 12th place on lap 68 saw the caution fly again as Lundqvist went spinning into the turn 10 outside tyre wall.
Lundqvist’s Chip Ganassi Racing team was able to replace his rear wing but would finish the race three laps down. Grosjean would later retire with gearbox failure after completing his drive through penalty for avoidable contact.
The next event is The $1 Million Challenge, a special, non-points race at 12:30 p.m. ET Sunday, March 24 at The Thermal Club near Palm Springs, California.
Full race results/points standings
Josef Newgarden 54
Pato O’Ward 40
Scott McLaughlin 35
Will Power 32
Colton Herta 31
Alex Palou 28
Felix Rosenqvist 26
Alexander Rossi 24
Scott Dixon 22
Rinus VeeKay 20
Santino Ferrucci 19
Kyle Kirkwood 18
Callum Ilott 17
Kyffin Simpson 16
Pietro Fittapaldi 15
Graham Rahal 14
Tom Blomqvist 13
Agustin Canapino 12
Jack Harvey 11
Christian Lundgaard 10
Christian Rasmussen 9
Colin Braun 8
Rinus Lundqvist 7
Romain Grosjean 6
Marcus Ericcson 5
Sting Ray Robb 5
Marcus Armstrong 5
Featured Image: Josef Newgarden celebrates winning the 2024 GP of St. Pete (Photo by Chris Jones/Penske Entertainment)
The grid were back in action at Qatar this weekend – after months of development, days of testing and hours of speculation, it was time to see how the riders would actual perform!
Our reigning champion was untouchable today in Qatar. Pecco Bagnaia and his mighty Ducati machine cruised to a seemingly easy victory after hitting the front very early on. He flew off the starting grid to lead after only a few corners. Once he hit the front, he dictated the pace for the rest of the field and never looked back.
Despite the dominant win for Bagnaia, the race wasn’t without it’s drama. Mere moments before the lights went out, Raul Fernandez waved to the track officials, signalling an issue with his bike. The start was then delayed further as Fernandez, who had got his bike restarted, argued with the officials about his need to start the race from pitlane. His day then went from bad to worse as his Trackhouse machine faced technical issues and he was forced to retire from the race; not an ideal start to this brand new team’s MotoGP career.
Image credit: MotoGP
Brad Binder and his Red Bull KTM put on a fabulous show for the crowd at the Lusail International Circuit. In typical Binder fashion, he had a great start from 4th on the grid and enjoyed a race-long battle with Jorge Martin as the pair jostled for 2nd. It was Binder who eventually came out on top, enjoying his second 2nd place of the weekend, after coming home in the same position at Saturday’s sprint race.
Whilst Martin may have hoped for more than 3rd after his Sprint race win, he has already enjoyed a much stronger start to his title campaign than he did in 2023. Many will be hoping he can keep up this momentum for the rest of the season.
For many MotoGP fans, their attentions were solely on Marc Marquez as he took to the track for the first time in Gresini blue. He had a brilliant race and will undoubtedly be happy to come home in 4th. He enjoy lots of battles with, none more so than a fantastic fight with our only rookie on the grid, Pedro Acosta.
Acosta finished the day in 9th but that result doesn’t do justice to his strong race. The rookie has been impressing many up and down the paddock and he enjoyed a strong race, moving up from 8th on the starting grid to 4th. He did look set for a podium finish but faded later in the race – it seems he went out too hot in the early stages and was left battling with serious tire wear. With just 8 laps remaining, he slipped back down the grid to end the day just inside the top 10.
Image Credit: MotoGP
It was a difficult day for Jack Miller who crashed at turn 2 on the 2nd lap – whilst he was able to rejoin the pack, picking the bike up surprisingly quickly, he came home in 21st and last today. There have been lots of discussions about future the line up for the Red Bull KTM team so with his team mate on the podium and Acosta showing his ability so early in his career, it wasn’t an ideal day for the Aussie rider.
After getting pole position yesterday at the Lusail International Circuit, Aron Canet cannot convert the best starting position into the win after taking too much out of the new Pirelli tyres early in the race. Alonso Lopez capitalised on his countryman’s poor start and was able to defend from a charging Barry Baltus towards the end of the race. The pair were joined on the podium by Sergio Garcia who carved his way through the field after starting in 18th place.
Lopez got a great start from the middle of the front row and moved to the front of the field as Canet fell down the pack like a stone, ending up in eighth place. There was a small amount of contact between Tony Arbolino and Manuel Gonzalez but not enough to cause either rider to crash or retire.
Ai Ogura also made a good start, gaining six positions on the first lap. But the big loser was Marcos Ramirez who lost eight places on the first tour of the circuit.
Canet was fighting with the field to make his way back to the front and by lap three he was back at the front of the field. The Spaniard had put himself in a good rhythm and was putting in fastest lap after fastest lap.
Albert Arenas and Arbolino made contact during the third lap and the Gresini rider was able to make it past the Italian rider. However, on the following lap Arenas ran slightly wide at turn one but Arbolino was preoccupied with Ogura coming past. Baltus also got past Arbolino.
Gonzalez took the lead of the race into turn one on lap five but Lopez made it back past.
Izan Guevera seemed to have an issue as he lost three places in one lap and ended up retiring the bike on lap thirteen.
Canet started putting in a lot of fast laps but Lopez made the decision to overtake Canet and reduce the pace at the front to look after the Pirelli rubber that was making its debut in the Moto2 series in Qatar.
On lap seven, Ayumu Sasaki crashed at turn one causing a yellow flag in the first sector.
Arenas ran slightly wide at turn one and this led to him being overtaken by Baltus.
On lap eight, it looked as though Canet may have taken too much out of his tyres when he was fighting through the field to make up the positions he lost because his lap times continued getting slower. Lopez and Gonzalez started to gap the pole sitter and Baltus started looking at ways to get past the Fantic Racing rider.
Baltus made the move at turn fifteen and was looking incredibly confident on his RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP bike.
Next up to pass Canet was Ogura who made the move on lap nine. Canet continued dropping down the field as his tyres seemed to run out of life.
Garcia made his way past Arenas for sixth place on lap nine.
Baltus was able to make up 0.7s up to the two riders at the front of the field, Lopez and Gonzales, during lap nine and started battling with them. On lap eleven, Baltus went past Gonzalez at turn one with a massive lunge. The Belgian rider had a slight twitch after losing the rear of his bike but was able to keep the position.
And Baltus didn’t stop there, he immediately got in the slipstream of Lopez but was unable to get through on lap twelve. The battle continued at the front of the field and this led to the chasing pack getting on the back of Baltus, giving him more pressure from behind.
On the following lap, Garcia was able to get past Gonzalez for third place at turn ten and was looking to be the strongest rider on the track in the final laps of the race.
Former race leader Canet had a complete tyre drop off by lap fourteen which could be seen by the incredibly slow lap times he was posting. This information will be useful for the Fantic Racing team as it shows that with Canet’s riding style, he cannot put a lot of load on the tyres at the start of the race and expect them to perform well at the end of the race, like a set of Bridgestone or Michelin tyres. It is worth noting that these tyres are similar to the ones that are used in the World Superbike Series.
Baltus, however, with a more aggressive driving style and being a larger rider may benefit from the Pirelli tyres being introduced as he seemed to keep life in the tyres until the end of the race. Even if he kept life in the tyre, he was still unable to make a move on Lopez even after setting up for many moves on the last two laps.
Lopez crossed the line in first place, followed by Baltus and a hard charging Garcia in third. Ogura just missed out on the podium after finishing in fourth, just ahead of Gonzalez and Marcos Ramirez. Joe Roberts finished the first race of the season in seventh place, four seconds behind his teammate but ahead of Arenas, Celestino Vietti and pole sitter Canet rounded out the top ten.
On his Moto2 debut, Deniz Oncu collected points but Fermin Aldeguer had a race to forget. He finished in sixteenth place just four places ahead of Arbolino.
Jake Dixon was declared unfit following a highside suffered on Saturday.
Feature image credit to: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
2024 Qatar Moto2 Grand Prix, Lusail – Race Results
With a glorious sunset in Doha, the opening race of the season was upon us in Moto3. With both Jaume Masia and Deniz Oncu now in Moto2, only David Alonso (CFMOTO Aspar Team) remained from last year’s podium in today’s race. Alonso started from the middle of the 3rd row in 8th.
Pole sitter Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) who finished 9th here last season, was desperate to finish off a perfect weekend converting the pole position to victory this afternoon.
AS IT HAPPENED
David Munoz (BOE Motorsports) not allowed to start and told to get off the grid after stalling off the line. Disaster for Munoz and had to be moved to the pits before we got going.
A great start from Holgado off the line when we finally got under way. Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets MSI) and Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) hot on the heels of Holgado as they went through the first sector. Rueda up the inside of Ortola into turn 10. Rueda looked to go further ahead and pass Holgado into turn 12 but Holgado managed to shut the door on the Spaniard.
Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) dived up the inside of Ortola as the riders completed the first lap. Into lap 2 and Fernandez was ready to fight today, dicing with Ortola in the first few corners.
Alonso up 4 places into 4th in the middle of lap 2 of 16 here in Doha. Alonso the pre season favourite by many will be keen to get to the front as quickly as possible. Rueda and Holgado already into an epic battle here switching places as Rueda headed into the final corner in the lead of the race to complete lap 2.
Sector 1 lit up in yellow as Rueda and Ortola collided at turn 1. 2 of the race favourites both crashing out of the race early on. Rueda looked to of lost the rear and went into Ortola. Clearly a racing incident and both riders ok. No further action was taken by the stewards.
Lap 4 of 16 and Alonso right up behind race leader Holgado into turn 1. Tatsuki Suzuki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) set the fastest lap of the race at this point and going well running in 11th having started the race in 19th.
We had a lead group of 11 riders at this early stage in the race and it was anyone’s guess as to who could take command of the Grand Prix. Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) had a disaster in qualifying but not today, going from 18th to 7th in the race at this point.
Through the first 3rd of the race, Holgado lead from Alonso 2nd and Fernandez in 3rd. We still had a lead group of 11 riders all not letting Holgado pull away in this one. Holgado set the pace but with itchy riders behind it was shaping up to be another Moto3 classic. With the length of the start straight being a kilometre long it’s always difficult for a leader to pull away.
Both Matteo Bertelle (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Filippo Farioli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) went down at turn 13 with Farioli having a big high side in the incident. Farioli clearly hurt after that impact.
Furusato now up to 6th place with 11 laps to go and continued to climb to the front. Yellow flags in sector 3 and 4 would keep Furusato at bay at least for the next few corners.
Towards half race distance now and Furusato looked on another level and took the lead for the first time of the race from 18th on the grid. Holgado took back the lead from Furusato at turn 10 and Furusato lead the Grand Prix for just 4 corners. Into the final corner of lap 8, Riccardo Rossi (CIP Green Power) dove up the inside of Fernandez into the podium position only for Fernandez to get him back into turn 1.
7 laps to go and the battle was no where near finished as every rider behind the leader were fighting in an overtaking melee. We were all set for another Moto3 classic.
Furusato lost the rear and 2 places and dropped back to 4th. Swapped places with Fernandez and outside of the podium places as we headed into turn 1 with 5 laps to go.
3 laps to go and Holgado still lead from Alonso 2nd, Fernandez 3rd and Furusato in 4th. It was still anyone’s guess as to who was going to win this race. Furusato up the inside of both Alonso and Fernandez up into 2nd at turn 1.
With the slipstream not having much of an impact on the leader on the start straight, the race was all hanging on who would lead out of turn 16 on the last lap. At this stage we still had a lead group of 10 riders.
2 laps to go, Furusato and Alonso went by Holgado into turn 1, only for Holgado to squeeze through the pair of them into turn 2. As Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets MSI) crashed out in sector 2, Holgado hung onto the lead from Furusato 2nd and Alonso in 3rd.
Alonso towards the end of lap 15 went from 3rd to 6th with Rossi, Fernandez and Vicente Perez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) getting by the Columbian in the last sector of the lap.
THE LAST LAP
Into turn 1 and Holgado clung onto the lead with Furusato 2nd and Rossi in 3rd. Alonso started his charge back to the front moving up to 4th as disaster struck for Perez and Fernandez crashing out on the last lap of the race.
Turn 10 and Alonso picked his spot perfectly to get by Rossi. With the momentum into turn 11, Alonso was in full attack mode blasting his way up the inside of Furusato. Alonso into 2nd now gunning for Holgado and the race victory.
Towards the final corner into turn 16, Alonso made his move and went by Holgado to take the first win of the 2024 season. Incredible from David Alonso and the Aspar team garage went bonkers and rightly so. To start the lap in 6th place and to go onto win it in the last corner was outstanding.
What a start to the 2024 Moto3 championship! What a win for David Alonso!
The traditional NTT IndyCar Series season opener, the Grand Prix of St. Pete in Florida, gets underway this Sunday with a 27-car grid including five rookies, with Josef Newgarden and Felix Rosenqvist locking out the front row for Sunday’s 100-lap race.
Start of the 2023 GP of St. Pete (Photo by Chris Jones/Penske Entertainment).
Race preview/qualifying
Full qualifying results
3 min read
IndyCar returns to St. Petersburg, Florida for it’s season opener in what will be the 21st running of the Grand Prix of St. Pete; a 100-lap, 180 mile race around the streets of downtown St. Pete and the Albert Whitted Airport with the race starting at 12pm ET/4pm UK time.
The 14-turn temporary street circuit never fails to bring the action as last year’s race was won in the final laps as Pato O’Ward’s car temporarily lost power, allowing Marcus Ericsson to drive by and take the checkered flag three laps later.
Marcus Ericsson leads Pato O’Ward in the 2023 GP of St. Pete (Photo by Chris Jones/Penske Entertainment)
Saturday’s qualifying saw Team Penske’s two-time St. Pete winner Josef Newgarden put his No. 2 PPG Chevrolet on pole with a 59.5714 second lap.
Newgarden said: “I get jacked up every time I show up for an IndyCar race. This is a rockstar team.”
One of Newgarden’s main goals for the 2024 season was to secure a pole position, It is Newgarden’s third St. Pete pole, having gone without a pole in the 2023 season, last being on pole for the 2022 Detroit Grand Prix at Belle Isle.
Josef Newgarden in the No. 2 PPG Chevrolet for Team Penske at St. Pete (Photo by Joe Skibinski/Penske Entertainment)
Felix Rosenqvist, now racing for Meyer Shank Racing after being replaced at Arrow McLaren, joins Newgarden on the front row, having done a 59.5772 lap.
Rosenqvist said: “We don’t want to get carried away; the race is a different challenge. But we had a feeling from practice, from rolling off the truck, and that’s great.”
Rosenqvist broke the track record in the Group of 12 qualifying session with a lap of 59.2706 to advance to the Firestone Fast Six, beating Will Power’s 59.3466 lap in the Group of 12 session in 2022.
Six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon could only manage an 11th starting place. Dixon is still winless at St. Pete after 19 previous attempts.
Will Power also failed to make the fast six, with an eighth-place effort. Power had secured nine of the last 14 poles at St. Pete, also being a two-time winner, winning in 2010 and 2014, with Newgarden winning the 2019 and ’20 race respectively.
Tom Blomqvist was the best of the rookies, qualifying 17th with a lap time of 59.9968, driving for Meyer Shank Racing
Graham Rahal, Colton Herta, Scott McLaughlin, and Marcus Ericsson also have wins at St. Pete; 2008, 2021, 2022, and 2023 respectively.
Different for this years’ race is the turn three repave, removing heavy bumps that means drivers can now go flat out through the corner.
Also different is the use of lighter chassis components on the cars including a new 3D-printed titanium aeroscreen top frame, saving seven pounds, as well as the switch to a magnesium gearbox casing and bellhousing. This is all in preparation for the arrival of the 2.2-litre twin-turbocharged V6 engines with hybrid technology this summer.
Catch the 2024 Grand Prix of St. Pete on Sunday at 12pm ET/4pm UK time.
Full qualifying results
Josef Newgarden
Felix Rosenqvist
Pato O’Ward
Colton Herta
Romain Grosjean
Marcus Ericsson
Rinus VeeKay
Will Power
Scott McLaughlin
Marcus Armstrong
Scott Dixon
Christian Lundgaard
Alex Palou
Santino Ferrucci
Alexander Rossi
Callum Ilott
Tom Blomqvist (R)
Kyle Kirkwood
Linus Lundqvist (R)
Agustin Canapino
Christian Rasmussen (R)
Graham Rahal
Kyffin Simpson (R)
Sting Ray Robb
Colin Braun (R)
Pietro Fittipaldi
Jack Harvey
Featured Image: 2023 GP of St. Pete (Photo by Chris Owens/Penske Entertainment)
